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Chapter 17 - Chapter 17 – A Breathtaking New World

"I… received a blessing from a goddess?" I whispered softly.

My eyes were fixed on the words in my status—Blessing of the Goddess of Life and Death – Persephone.

"So… gods really do exist?" I murmured, almost like I was talking to myself.

In my mind, that voice echoed again. Gentle, cold, and calming. The voice that reached out to me just before I lost consciousness.

Was that… Persephone's voice?

I didn't know. But one thing was certain—this blessing gave me new power.The Death Element.A power that felt so profound. Not just the power to kill, but something that brushed the edge between life and death.

I took a deep breath and sat up. My body still felt strange. Not weak, but as if I had evolved too far from my original form. I felt more refined, more agile, and stronger than ever before.

My eyes scanned my surroundings.

Trees, Bushes,Soil and the gentle breeze rustling the leaves.

I was in the forest.

No cars, buildings and no sign of human presence.

Only nature.

I stood up, stretching this new body. It felt unfamiliar, and yet, it fit me perfectly—as if it had been made just for me.

Then a new thought surfaced in my mind.

Humans.

The ones who attacked me. Who hunted me like a monster. Even though I had done nothing to deserve it.

I didn't kill them first. I didn't provoke them. I didn't even fight back—until they gave me no choice.

My hand clenched tightly against the bark of a tree. Memories of their bullets tearing through my body, the fear in their eyes turning into cruelty, the way they looked at me—not as a person, but as prey.

Anger boiled in my chest. A cold, burning fire.

They didn't hesitate. They didn't ask why. They didn't care.

And for a moment—I wanted to return. To show them who I was now.To make them pay.

But then—I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.

No. Not yet.

I placed my hand over my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my undying heart.

"This is not the time," I whispered in my heart."I will return when I'm strong enough."

And when that day comes—Let them see what they've created.

My steps grew lighter as I walked through the forest. I needed to find a high vantage point. If I could determine where I was, maybe I could find my way back to the city…Or decide to never return at all.

It didn't take long to find it—a large tree, taller than the rest. Its bark was rough, but easy enough to grip.

With my sharp claws, I climbed quickly. Branch after branch passed beneath me like I was a wild beast—fast and light.

And when I reached the top…

I froze.

A sea of endless trees stretched as far as the eye could see. A thin mist hovered above the canopy, creating an almost mystical scene.

But that wasn't what made me freeze.

It was the creatures moving among the trees.

Tigers.

But not ordinary tigers. Their bodies were twice the size of a truck. Their forms were covered in black spikes, and their eyes glowed a bright, eerie red.

Bears.

Even more terrifying. As tall as a two-story house. Their claws were as thick as tree trunks. Each step they took shook the ground.

Wolves.

They moved in packs. Sliding through the underbrush with fluid motion, their bodies long and slender—like a blend of wolves and monstrous hounds.

Everything had mutated.

And yet… something felt strange.

I wasn't afraid.

They were terrifying. But I knew—I had changed too.

I was part of this world now.

I remembered the city. Giant rats the size of goats. Rabid dogs twice their normal size. Cats with five eyes and dagger-like claws.

If the city was already like that… then this forest was far wilder.

The world had changed.

Or perhaps… this was its true form.Without humans to rule and suppress it.

I sat on a thick tree branch, letting the wind blow across my pale face.

In the distance, massive black birds the size of eagles flew through the sky. Some dropped small animals midair—maybe to eat them mid-flight, or just for sport.

I didn't know how long I sat there, watching the world from above.

But for the first time—

I didn't feel alone.

I was a part of this world.This new world.

And maybe…

This is my home now.

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